The tools I used for this project are an angle grinder, a die grinder with a carbide burr, a small sledge hammer, a flat-head screwdriver, a sturdy vise, some small washers, and a small pick or piece of wire and a magnet in case I end up needing to fish out needle roller bearings.If all you plan to do is get the joint apart to clearance it, the only u-joint caps you need to remove are the ones in the center section of the joint (which I'll call the "H" from here on out).The basic method I use to remove u-joints is the same as used in this article. It's fast and effective. Reading the article will help you understand how I disassemble this CV joint.

1. Start by removing the grease zerks and c-clips from the u-joint caps you plan on taking out. Use a flat head screwdriver to dig into the grime and to pry and hammer the clips off.

2. Support the flange end of the CV on top of the jaws of the vise. Pound on the "H" with the sledge hammer. A few good whacks will bring the cap up. Flip the joint over and do the same thing to the cap on the opposite side. Hold the joint at a certain angle to get the cap to be able to be pounded out as far as possible, however this still wont be far enough to get ahold of the caps to get them out.

3. At this point, you should be able to move the joint cross back and forth between the two caps. If any of the needle roller bearings have fallen out of place, use a pick or some wire and a magnet to get them all out. If you don't, they will be ruined when you try to pound the caps the rest of the way out, and then you will need a new u-joint. The same goes if you lose any of them, so be very careful if you plan to re-use the joint (Hint- pumping some new grease into the joints prior to disassembly may help keep the bearings in place).

4x4Wire Tech Section

Disclaimer

OutdoorWire, 4x4Wire, JeepWire, TrailTalk, MUIRNet-News, and 4x4Voice are all trademarks and publications of OutdoorWire, Inc. and MUIRNet Consulting Copyright (c) 1999-2016 OutdoorWire, Inc and MUIRNet Consulting - All Rights Reserved, no part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without express written permission You may link freely to this site, but no further use is allowed without the express written permission of the owner of this material. All corporate trademarks are the property of their respective owners.